Book Review: Altered – Jennifer Rush

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?
Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev…and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.
Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.
Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

First Sentence: For most of the last four years, I wasn’t allowed in the lab.

My Review:

What caught my eye was Altered‘s book spine. The book spine you ask? Yes, the book spine. (Yes, I also know I’m a freak.) Just look at it! It’s the coolest shade of yellow-green color I’ve ever seen in my life! Honestly, if it wasn’t for the book spine, I wouldn’t have read Altered until a long, long time later, so I’m very happy I gave it a try. I was a bit indecisive in giving Altered either a rating of 3.5 or a rating of 4, but in the end, I felt that Altered deserved a rating of 4 since the very good outweighed the good in Altered.

Before I started Altered, I was a bit worried how Jennifer Rush could write about the four boys – Sam, Trev, Cas, and Nick – and not make any of them undeveloped, two-dimensional characters or leave one of them out of the book anytime for too long. However, to my surprise, Jennifer Rush managed to nail it down perfectly.

On the other hand, the main character, Anna, really frustrated me sometimes. There were things that she and the boys were investigating that were so glaringly obvious, things that the others confirmed, but Anna still refused to believe. I get that she’s in denial, but sometimes, I just wanted to shake her and yell dude, the facts are all screaming at you, just accept it already! Anna is also slow – I figured out the truth in around three chapters before it finally dawns on Anna.

The things Anna thinks are also just plain weird. So Sam, Trev, Cas, and Nick have been trapped behind glass and brick walls all their lives, being tested on. Anna decides that the boys are locked up because they were made to be some kind of secret strong superheroes or something along those lines. Does that even make sense? Anyone with common sense knows that you don’t keep people that you were experimenting with to make them do good things locked up. I just rolled my eyes when I heard that one.

There were so many twists in Altered that I never saw coming. (For those of you who don’t know me well, I can easily spot and guess a plot twist a mile away. And I’m usually right.) I was very close to guessing one particular plot twist right, but not exactly. Still, what Jennifer Rush bought on just completely stunned me and filled my mind with so many questions.

The ending of Altered was well done, leaving a bittersweet smile on my face. So well done that I could easily ignore the small plot hole near the ending.

I am so looking forward to reading the sequel of Altered. I can’t wait to see what happens next. (I love it when books make me feel that way without using any cliffhangers.) Seriously, if you haven’t read Altered yet, then what are you waiting for? You are pretty much guaranteed to love it!

I’ve read Altered and I think it was quite an enjoyable read. I loved the group dynamic between the four boys – their personalities are so different from each other. I’m also looking forward to the sequel, I’m quite curious as to where the author will take readers next. :)

Thanks for this review Kelly! The cover actually caught my eye, which is why I had decided I needed to read this book lol. I understand completely about the main character driving you up a wall. HAHA. I am currently reading a book were I feel like I could choke the main character, but it is still a great book (Pretties by Scott Westerfeld). This is a really great review! Thanks for helping me come to a final decision on reading this book!

I have a copy of Altered sitting on my bookshelf (and yes, I do plan to read it soon because I think it’s looks good and COMPLETELY agree about the book spine!). I’m glad to hear about the boys’ characterization, because I was a bit worried about that too. Though, I gotta say, I’m the most glad to hear it has a bittersweet ending. I just love those! Thanks for the review!

I wasn’t too sure that I would like Altered. It isn’t like the books that I usually read, but I have been trying to broaden my horizons lately. I am glad that I have. I really enjoyed Altered. Jennifer Rush did such a fantastic job of creating 4 distinct, separate characters. The boys each had their own personality. I knew who was speaking without needing a name. And the action never stopped. I read this book in an hour and half. And enjoyed every second.

“leaving a bittersweet smile on my face.” Uh oh. I’m scared of reading Altered because of those words you wrote in your review. I’m sensing that the ending will be sad and I hate sad moments. It makes me depress. But the cover of Altered is just so drool worthy! ~Teehee Anyways, awesome review! :)

It’s not a sad ending, it was just that the ending wasn’t perfect and I felt that the characters deserved a perfect ending after everything they went through. o:
And yes, isn’t the cover of Altered gorgeous? -pats the guy on the cover- ;DKelly recently posted…YA Icons Tour Signing + Giveaway (INT)

I enjoyed Altered quite a bit as well. I loved the setting, especially in Michigan as it is easy to pitch it to my teens at the library since it is their home state. Great review!Stephanie @ Love.Life.Read recently posted…Day 4 of Summer Lovin’! Participation Post and Updates

I LOVED Altered. I agree that the spine is definitely eye- catching. But the cover is just stunning. Though I’m not happy with the sequel’s cover (literally a set of abs on the front of the cover, haha), I’m excited for it to come out. Why can’t the publication date come any sooner?! Anyways, fantastic review, Kelly!Holly Anne recently posted…Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

Yay! I’m glad you loved Altered too Holly! :D<3
Ha ha, I still like the spine better, but the guy on the cover is still hot. :P
Yeah, I'm not really happy with Erased's cover because the guy on the cover isn't really hot. But hey, I love that shade of orange! :D
January 2014 definitely needs to be here sooner.
Thanks! (:Kelly recently posted…Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop

When I read Altered it was in ePub format so I haven’t been able to see the spine you’re in love with. :( I’m thinking I need to buy the hardcopy. I did enjoy this book too. And am anticipating the sequel. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on it.

I don’t like the redesigned cover. That fog thing around the title turns me off. D:
The book, meanwhile, is SO good. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do Fatma! (:Kelly recently posted…Blogoversary Day 2: Cover Guessing Game

I felt the same way! I did like it but Anna really annoyed me sometimes.. Especially when she was so shocked that the boys were mad at the people that kept them trapped. Are you kidding me? It was hard to believe sometimes but I also looked forward to Erased and your review for it!Elena recently posted…Dicussion Post: Second Book Syndrome

I know! It’s like asking a angry lab rat not to bite you after you kept it in a cage for 14 years. At that point, you’re just asking for it if you’re not careful.
I can’t wait to get my hands on Erased! I have high hopes for it. ;D<3Kelly recently posted…Blogoversary Day 2: Cover Guessing Game

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Effortlessly Reading sometimes receives ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) from publishers or authors in exchange for honest reviews. Please note that no compensation of any kind has been provided in exchange for a review. Any use and/or duplication of my material without any permission is strictly prohibited.